


Your personal hero

by Nisushi



Series: Nikki's Hideweek [3]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bullying, Hideweek, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-11-10 06:15:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11121546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nisushi/pseuds/Nisushi
Summary: Day three – 英 hero / wisdomHide asking about superheroes.





	Your personal hero

A comic book lay open before Hide, but he was only half focussing on its content. He was skipping through it while trying to get some food inside before lunch break would be over. Hide wasn’t a multitasker, and that was shown through his clumsy movements that didn’t reach his mouth when he wasn’t looking at his food.

‘’Hide, try to focus on one thing. You have crumbs everywhere, safe for in your mouth.’’

Hide looked up and saw his friend hovering above the table with one hand near Hide’s face. He tried to playfully slap his hand away, but the other didn’t give in. So he let him wipe away whatever was on his face. Only then Hide noticed that the pad of the thump was wet, and he almost fell backwards with his chair when he bolted away from the saliva covered thump.

‘’What the hell, Kaneki?!’’ Hide tried to get the wetness from his face with scrubbing his hands against the spot. Kaneki went back to sit in his chair, and leaned on the palm of his hand. A smug look appeared on his face.

‘’Don’t cry over spilled milk, Hide. Cry over what kind of eater you are.’’

Hide glared at his friend, who wouldn’t lose that grin. ‘’Who are you? My mom?’’ He wiped his hand off on Kaneki’s uniform, starting a pity fight with his friend who made an attempt to block Hide’s hands, but Hide could easily put up with Kaneki’s strength and succeeded in getting rid of the spit. Kaneki laughed when Hide made a big deal out of his victory.

‘’Maybe an extra guardian for you would be a good idea.’’

‘’Shut up.’’

They went back to the comfortable silence between the two. Hide finished his lunch and got a small glimpse from Kaneki, who was busy with his own book. It was useless to ask for the absence of Kaneki’s food. Hide knew that Kaneki didn’t have the money to buy food for lunch. He always needed to safe the money he got in the morning for dinner, which was a more important meal according to him. It would also bring nothing but lame excuses when Hide offered him some money. Kaneki Ken could not live with himself if he relied on others.

‘’Hey, ‘Neki.’’ Kaneki didn’t look up from his book, only humming to give Hide a sign that he was listening. Hide looked at the colourful images from the comic book that was in front of him, chuckling when thinking about the question he was about to ask.

‘’What do you think of superheroes?’’

Kaneki’s attention went to Hide, raising an eyebrow. ‘’Why are you asking?’’ Hide crossed his arms, leaning his chair on two legs. ‘’Well, the ones in those American comic books just got me interested, so now I want to know your thoughts on it.’’

Superheroes differed from normal heroes. They had supernatural powers and would never fail to smile or safe the day. Hide was quiet absorbed with the personas of the Western superheroes. They were all the same, but still original on their own. All tough, smooth and handsome. For the last point, Hide had to believe the other characters from his comic books with that. It would be pretty creepy if he were ever to call fiction characters sexually appealing.

‘’They don’t have any depth if you ask me. Without those lasers they wouldn’t be anything, just some brainless ‘good-looking’-‘’

‘’Nagachika, what are you doing after school?’’ A pair of hands were suddenly on his shoulders. Hide turned his head to see who had interrupted his quality talk with Kaneki, meeting the eyes of four people, some girls and boys from their class, hanging behind him. They were called Asuka, Mei, Shouta, and… Seki? Maybe? Honestly, he couldn’t care less about these people.

He knew them. Knew what they did, which wasn’t exactly what Hide liked. Making snarky comments behind someone’s back to come over as superior was straight out lame. Hide had heard them talking. Even Kaneki was one of their victims. He hated to admit it, that maybe it had to do with the fact that Kaneki was an easy scapegoat, but nonetheless did he want to protect his friend from the pain people could give him. The boy was already dealing with so much.

‘’Ah, I’m gonna hang out with this guy!’’ Hide grinned as he patted Kaneki’s head, who stammered out his name while trying to stop Hide from violating his hair. Hide kept eye-contact with the people, their faces falling when he answered their question. He could almost smell the annoyance. But it wasn’t like he had to do anything with them, so if they could just go away and search for other victims, Hide would be more than glad.

He heard them mumbling something like ‘’You’re no fun’’ and ‘’At least try it once’’. These people were no fun. They had tried multiple times to get Hide to go with them. He had only talked to one of the girls once or twice, and after that she didn’t seem to stop. It was creepy. They would have turned their backs to him if he hadn’t talked. People who ignored everything that was none of their business weren’t Hide cup of tea.

Maybe Hide was a hypocrite for saying that. He just did exactly the same with rejecting their invitation, only because he didn’t want to have to do anything with other people.

Hide was relieved when they turned around, but then before they were completely gone, a small boy opened his mouth.

‘’H-hide, you can g-go out with them if y-you want.’’

 _The point is that I don’t want to_.

Hide could have scolded his friend for making things more difficult if there weren’t any unasked listeners. They immediately came back and tried to get Hide to say yes.

‘’But Kaneki, we would go to that one café you wanted to show me, right?’’ That was a lie, and Hide prayed for Kaneki to pick up the hint.

‘’…What café?’’’

He didn’t pick it up.

‘’Well alright then. If you want to get rid of me that much.’’ Hide tried to play it off with a pout. He had to give in now, otherwise Kaneki would think he was the problem and think about more things that weren’t true. There were days when Kaneki wouldn’t stop blaming himself on how Hide ‘never went out with other friends’. It was partly his fault, yes, but that was only because Hide didn’t need anyone beside Kaneki.

He put on a smile and asked when they should meet up. They were happy with the fact that Hide would come with them. Hide didn’t know why. They didn’t even know him, so how were these four so sure he would be a fun add up to their group?

When they were finally gone, Hide turned towards Kaneki again, who was playing with the corners of the pages of his book.

‘’Kaneki, are you sure I can go with them?’’

‘’Yes, it’s fine.’’

This lay deeper than the typical Kaneki-feels-sorry-for-Hide-that-he’s-taking-up-all-his-time reason of behaviour. When Hide wanted to ask him why Kaneki actually wanted him to go, the teacher came into class and ended the break. Hide took his stuff and without another word walked to the other side of the classroom where he was seated.

 

When the last class was dismissed, Hide went to the bathroom to relieve himself before going to his obligatory date. He still had to say goodbye to Kaneki, because he couldn’t let the boy head off alone without having said anything. Maybe there was still a chance of calling off the date and go home with Kaneki. Hide wanted to lay on his bed and do useless stuff after a long day, not make it longer with having to hang out with people he didn’t even know.

He went back to class, finding out that everyone had left, even that little group and Kaneki. But when Hide went in to take his stuff with him, he noticed that Kaneki’s bag was still on his table. That was totally not normal. That kid wasn’t even able to carry half of his books with him without a bag, and all of his books were gone. This smelled fishy.

Hide grabbed Kaneki’s bag and his own and exited the classroom. He ran through the hallway, down the stairs, changed his shoes, and walked to the schoolyard. There was no one to be seen, but then when Hide looked around for a while, he saw it. A book lying on the ground. Hide knew it was Kanek’s when he recognized the cover. He went around the school, only to find Kaneki busy fishing his books out of the little pool behind their school.

‘’What the fuck?’’ Kaneki startled when he heard Hide, turning his gaze towards him. It wasn’t fair. Not how people could go out to play with others. Not how Kaneki couldn’t do anything about it.

‘’Ah, Hide, I was just- I couldn’t…. I..’’ His grip tightened on the book he had in his hands, teary eyes staring into Hide’s. ‘’I’m so sorry.’’

There was nothing to be sorry about. ‘’You have nothing to be sorry about, Ken.’’

Hide walked to the pool, helping Kaneki getting his other books, which were dripping wet and maybe even useless now. It was too easy to break Kaneki. Damaging his books was one way.

He crouched next to Kaneki. ‘’Who did this?’’ Hide knew who did it. Kaneki had many who liked to spit on him, but today there were only a few who could have been it. Hide’s suggestion was proved right when Kaneki shook his head. He didn’t want to tell Hide. Kaneki thought it was his own fault and didn’t want to take away those new potential friends from Hide.

Hide stood up and dusted off his pants. ‘’These aren’t all of them, are they?’’ Kaneki squeaked. ‘’Hide, please don’t go to-‘’

‘’I’m sorry, ‘Neki. Can you wait for me? I forgot something at school.’’

And with that, Hide ran away. They still had to be close somewhere. The date would be ruined if they didn’t show up, right?

He was lucky. When he ran to the front and the four who he had been looking for were walking out of the building. One of them waved at Hide when he noticed him. ‘’Nagachika, we’ve been looking everywhere! Where the hell were-‘’

Hide didn’t let him finish his sentence. He went for his collar and hold the others face close to his. This was going to be interesting. He put on his most friendly smile.

‘’You have something that isn’t yours. Could you be so kind to give it to me?’’

The guy was perplexed, looking like he had lost his tongue. His gaze went to his friends, who were gaping like fish. Then he gave a nervous chuckle.

‘’Dude, it was just a joke. Calm down.’’

Taking on Kaneki as a joke was sick. Hide’s grip tightened, surprised that no one had helped their friend yet. They were all barks no bites.

‘’Do you think it’s funny to pick on small kids?’’ Hide was a few centimetres taller than the guy and tried to make advantage out of it. He took his face in his hand and forced him to look at him.

‘’Give back what’s his and no one will know you’re a couple of cowards who kick puppies as a ‘joke’.’’

The girl he had talked to took her bag and rummaged through it. ‘’Here! Take this stupid thing!’’ What pride can do to people.

Hide let the guy go and took the book. ‘’Thank you very much.’’ He left the group alone and went back to where Kaneki was still mourning over his stuff.

The face Kaneki made was everything. Hide felt sorry that he could only safe one book, but Kaneki smiled through his tears, stating that it didn’t matter. Hide helped his friend from the ground and took some of his books so Kaneki wouldn’t have to put them into his bag. Maybe some hairdryers would do the job.

They walked home together. The sound was lost in the Spring breeze, but Hide was able to catch it.

‘’You’re my hero.’’

Superheroes differed from normal heroes. They had supernatural powers and wouldn’t fail to smile or safe the day. Also, they were fake. Fiction characters made up by someone who dreamed about being a hero.

Normal heroes were everywhere. Hide understood that when Kaneki walked ahead, trying to hide his blushing face.

_______________

‘’Kaneki?’’

‘’Hmm?’’

Hide lay with his head on Kaneki’s lap, who was currently reading something and going through Hide’s hair with one hand. ‘’Am I still your hero?’’

Kaneki looked up from his book and gazed at Hide through his round glasses. Hide liked them. A lot.

‘’Why are you asking?’’

Hide chuckled from the faint nostalgia. He had been waiting for moments like these for five years. He stretched his arms. ‘’Dunno, just came to me I guess.’’

Kaneki put his book on the coffee table and pulled Hide up against his shoulder. ‘’You will always be my hero, Hide.’’

Hide laughed, rubbing his cheek against the other’s and holding him in his arms.

‘’You’re such a cheese, Kaneki.’’

‘’Are there still people who use that word?’’

‘’Shut up.”

Hide took Kaneki face between his hands and leaned in, letting them melt together. Mostly at times like this, Kaneki would try to stop Hide. The frame of his glasses pushed against his skin wasn’t the most pleasant feeling. But for now, Kaneki let him be.

Little did Hide know that he had saved Kaneki at times when he wasn’t even there. When Kaneki was going through his darkest periods, Hide was there to be there for him. Kaneki would never tell Hide, it would only boost his ego.

But he couldn’t change the fact that Hide was his one and true hero.

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually going pretty well. Thank you for the love and support on my previous chapters ^-^
> 
> See you tomorrow!
> 
> Check out my tumblr: Nitsuki-baka


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